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Based on consumer testing of Internet provider services
September 7, 2022 — Global network intelligence and connectivity insights leader, Ookla has named Xfinity the fastest Internet provider in Illinois. The recently published Speedtest Global Index rankings, based upon consumer testing of Internet services in the United States in Q2 2022 through Ookla’s speed test website, showed Xfinity coming out on top in 12 states across the country, more than any other provider by a wide margin.
Xfinity’s median consumer tested download speeds of 184 megabits per second (Mbps) across Illinois were faster than competitor’s consumer speeds. Ookla’s report provides a real-time view into the Internet speeds that consumers are actually experiencing based on the service tiers they select.
“Consumers are using more connected devices in their homes than ever before,” said Comcast Regional Senior Vice President John Crowley. “We’ve invested billions into our network to deliver our fastest speeds throughout the Illinois and across the country. We are committed to delivering the best possible connectivity experience and will continue to exceed our customers’ growing demand for fast, reliable, and secure Internet connections.”
Xfinity Internet provides an unbeatable connectivity experience with the fastest download speeds, advanced cybersecurity protection, and total control over all the devices connected over WiFi in the home. Recently, Comcast began rolling out its Supersonic Gateway, capable of delivering speeds faster than a Gig and three times more capacity to connect hundreds of devices simultaneously. The new Supersonic WiFi gateway is WiFi 6E capable and is now available to Xfinity Internet Gigabit and Ultrafast customers across the U.S.
Faster speeds will be just one of the consumer benefits made possible through Comcast’s continued efforts to evolve its entire network to 10G. 10G is a next-generation technology platform supported by a global collaboration of companies in the Internet industry focused on building networks that stay ahead of consumer demand for connectivity. In addition to enabling multi-gig symmetrical connections, 10G efforts will provide even greater network reliability, lower latency, faster troubleshooting, and increased energy efficiency. More information about the industry’s efforts toward a 10G future can be found here.
About Comcast Corporation
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on connectivity, aggregation, and streaming with 57 million customer relationships across the United States and Europe. We deliver broadband, wireless, and video through our Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky brands; create, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, multiple cable networks, Peacock, NBCUniversal News Group, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in the United States and Asia. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.
With around 5,000 local employees, Comcast’s Greater Chicago Region (https://chicago.comcast.com) serves customers in central and northern Illinois, including the Chicago area, Northwest Indiana and Southwest Michigan. “Like” Comcast’s Greater Chicago Region on Facebook by visiting @Comcast. “Follow” Comcast’s Greater Chicago Region on Twitter at @ComcastIllinois.


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You have to admit it: Omnicom has been on a bit of a run. In fact, not so much a run as a rose-petal-strewn marathon with personal brow-wipers at every check-point along the way. First, the media team pulls Procter and Gamble out of Publicis’ Starcom and into a new bespoke media agency called Hearts and Science, only formed in April of this year. Then the holding company beats the incumbent WPP to the giant AT&T business, a win also credited in large part to the new Hearts and Science who take on the media assignment from MEC, and thus join their sister agency BBDO, AT&T’s creative agency of record. Somewhere along the way, Omnicom’s media agency PHD beat the incumbent WPP’s MediaCom to the Volkswagen business. And now McDonald’s has decided to end a 35-year relationship with Publicis’ Leo Burnett and move the creative piece of the US account into Omnicom, which already handles the media portion (and has done for many years).
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$52 Million In Taxes May Be Coming From Smokers
Sonora, CA — Mother Lode residents and retailers who thought they were being sneaky by purchasing cigarettes from out of state vendors, may have to cough up the California tax anyway.
450,000 invoices from Internet cigarette vendors and 65,000 shipping records from out of state mail vendors have been collected by the Board of Equalization.
Reports indicate the records track three years worth of untaxed purchases by Californians. Officials say the board plans to collect the $52 million owed to the state in unpaid cigarette taxes.
Written by Sabrina Sabbagh


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You’ll probably know what Siri is, its the virtual assistant Apple introduced with the iPhone a couple of years ago. Siri has now been programmed to crack a few jokes at Google Glass’ expense when the user asks it about Google’s head-mounted wearable gadget.
Apple CEO Tim Cook wasn’t too excited about Google Glass, which is currently only available to some 8,000 select people who are called Explorers. Earlier this year he said that he didn’t think Glass had the potential to become a mass-market item. Instead, he believed that for a wearable gadget the wrist is a much more natural place. These comments fuelled speculation that Apple is working on a wearable gadget of its own, many believe that the company may be developing a smartwatch, though it hasn’t been confirmed as yet.
To invoke Google Glass, users say the “Okay Glass” phrase. If the same phrase is said out loud to Siri, it is now intelligent enough to figure out that you’ve spoken the phrase used to invoke Google Glass. Siri will then get back at you with a cunning and humorous response of its own. Right now as many as five different responses have been discovered, who knows, Siri might have more up its sleeves.
The responses include mildly humorous sentences such as “I think that Glass is half empty,” “Stop trying to strap me to your forehead. It doesn’t work,” “Glass? I think you’ve got the wrong assistant,” and a couple more. These have been shot back by Siri in iOS 6, it is believed that iOS 7 beta version throws up even more responses. So from the looks of it, Siri doesn’t have that high of an opinion about Google Glass, but what are your views about it?


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Apple, Amazon, Gameloft, and Google are being investigated by Italy’s Antitrust and Competition Authority for possibly misleading the public into spending money on so called “freemium” apps which offer in-app purchases. The World Street Journal has reported that the Italian regulator is trying to determine if the companies’ freemium apps and respective app stores offer enough information about in-app purchases. They are also investigating whether or not the companies’ sale practices are tricking users into paying for in-game content.
The Italian regulator has stated:
Consumers could be led to think, contrary to reality, that a game is completely free and therefore they don't know ahead of time the game's true cost. It appears also that there is a lack of information regarding how to exclude or limit the possibility of making a purchase inside the app.
The Italian Antitrust Authority has targeted Apple for many investigations including a 2011 $1.2 million fine in unfair commercial practices related to standard product warranties. Then again for a $264,000 fine for the same warranty in 2012 even after the company changed AppleCare policies.
Source: The Wall Street Journal


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Fighting Corruption in Wine Via the Media
The astounding degree to which Virginia wineries have been screwed seems to be a reoccurring story in Virginia’s papers. Perhaps the Virginia wine industry is working hard to get their story into the media.
Perhaps the insanity of the new law that forced them to sell their wines only to distributors rather than directly to retailers and restaurants as they previously is soaking in among a media that likes to look after their own. Either way, it is becoming clear that this new law, passed so that wholesalers don’t have to work very hard and are made safe from competition, appears to be be getting media coverage…and that’s a good thing.
Next year we are likely to see a number of court decisions that affect the ability of local wineries to ship directly to consumers as well as the ability of wineries to sell directly to retailers in their own state.
I hope we will also see places like Virginia reconsider laws that that have been passed that really do nothing but preserve the wholesaler monopoly by preventing wineries from selling direct to both the trade and consumers.


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SELLER OF SHINY TOYS Apple might have to reveal US and UK sales of its Ipad and Ipad 2 to win a ban on Samsung selling its Galaxy 10.1 tablet in Australia.
According to a Bloomberg report, Apple's claim that Samsung's release of the tablet in Australia will hurt Ipad sales might carry little weight if it doesn't provide the numbers, Justice Annabelle Bennett said in Sydney Federal Court.
"Unless Apple puts on evidence showing the impact in the U.S. or U.K., I can't draw any positive assumptions," Bennett said.
However, Bennett said she would not force Apple to release the sales numbers and denied Samsung's request to subpoena them.
Samsung wants the sales figures to prove that the UK and US release of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 had little effect on Ipad sales.
A hearing on Apple's request for the injunction in Australia is scheduled for later this month in Sydney Federal Court.
The case is part of a global battle by Apple to get Samsung's Galaxy tablets and phones banned.
Yesterday, The INQUIRER reported that Samsung pulled its just launched Galaxy Tab 7.7in tablet out of the IFA trade show.
The Galaxy Tab 7.7 was announced at IFA along with a smaller tablet smartphone hybrid called the Galaxy Note. µ
Yet another CEO who knows nothing about security
World's fastest internet connection could give Japanese kids an edge in online gaming
Chipmaker does a Tango with Google
Clocks, apps, entire product lines. You name it


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When Oracle announced plans to move its corporate headquarters from Silicon Valley to Texas, it needed to clear out multiple floors of furniture sitting inside its office. Instead of putting it in a landfill, the company turned to one woman: Brandi Susewitz.
Oracle joins Uber, Dropbox, Yelp and others in leaning on Susewitz to answer a question that often comes low on a company’s priority list when moving or downsizing: what do you do with thousands of dollars of high-end office furniture when you no longer need it?
More than a year into the Covid-19 pandemic, the question is more relevant than ever. Many companies have announced the shift to remote work and realize there’s less of a need for office space, especially in pricey regions like the Silicon Valley.
Susewitz launched Clear Office after she was laid off in 2020. It’s a digital marketplace that sells pre-owned, high-end office furniture ranging from task chairs to pool tables. The company generated $800,000 in sales over the last two months as Silicon Valley companies list their items, furnish employees’ home offices, and re-jigger office spaces while they prepare to re-open later this year.
“These companies have tons of really high-end furniture but no one thinks about what to do with it all until right before they have to move and it ends up being a tragic waste,” said Jane Greenthal, strategies director at design firm Perkins & Will.
The pandemic’s economic impact exacerbated the potential waste problem, but it’s also created a need for outfitted workspaces in new environments. Hotel chains like Hyatt sell packages marketed toward remote workers, for example, which Greenthal says boosted demand for ergonomic furniture in unexpected places.
“A lot of companies left the office on a Friday, said ‘we’ll see you in a couple weeks’ and never went back and some of us never will,” Greenthal said. “Now that it’s been a year, even the ones that said ‘we’re never going back,’ many employees are saying ‘well, I want to go somewhere.'”
From task chairs to teacups
Selling furniture isn’t a high priority for companies dealing with an economic reckoning. In 2020, after Uber announced plans to shut down or consolidate 45 offices around the world, an Uber facilities manager reached out to Susewitz, needing to get rid of over 1,000 pieces of furniture.
“A facilities manager for Uber or Oracle is not going to go to eBay or Craigslist to post a whole office of furniture mostly because there’s too much time that goes into trying to sell them, individually,” Susewitz explained.
Susewitz works as a dealer, offering to take companies’ furnishings off their hands and coordinating to sell them. Companies get between 15% to 70% of the profit depending on how hands-off they want to be.
Clear Office makes sure designer items are legitimate, sets prices, uploads pictures, communicates with potential buyers, provides status updates, and coordinates teardowns, delivery and installation. Susewitz’s firm also offers interested buyers illustrations showing what furniture will look like in their space.
A company can specify the date furniture is available and when it needs to be out of a building.
It cuts out the need for multiple middlemen, she said. “A lot of brokers don’t sell directly to end-users because they really just don’t want the handholding that’s involved,” she said.
Greenthal said Clear Office is the only company her firm is aware of that has searchable timing and logistics. “It’s not just looking for a pair of designer jeans — you need quantity and there’s this short window of time before they either have to vacate or when a space needs to be furnished.”
Companies are purchasing full work stations, cubicles and partitions for social distancing, Susewitz said. She said buyers immediately snatched tall walls from Oracle’s inventory.
“The taller cubicles are apparently making a comeback,” Susewitz said. “They want an office space where their workers could come back to work — even if that means giving the illusion of being more safe.”
Roughly 50% of the furniture Oracle needed to get rid of was what Susewitz calls “ancillary” furniture, like collaboration tables, soft seating and lounge areas.
About 20% of Clear Office’s website sales are to individual buyers while the rest are made by businesses, Susewitz said. Most of the recent sales were to employees at tech companies. Popular items include height-adjustable desks and task chairs, which end up in home offices, Susewitz said.
Pre-owned designer Herman Miller chairs, which typically cost upwards of $800, are half as much on the Clear Office website. Pre-owned full workstations go for between $300 and $800 per station. Delivery and installation costs about $275 per work station.
As some companies redesign their spaces to prepare for the return to the office, they’re selling off large, non-essential and quirky items, Susewitz said. Live-streaming company Twitch discussed the need to liquidate a San Francisco office, which includes a giant, six-foot tall sofa and a life-size metal statue of a soldier. One San Francisco company recently sold two high-quality pool tables, Susewitz added. Another firm discussed listing a giant Alice in Wonderland teacup from a Disneyland ride.
“A lot of these companies are re-doing buildings and replacing items so it often either ends up in their warehouse or in landfill, unfortunately,” Susewitz said.
Susewitz has held discussions with the world’s largest design firm, Gensler, which said it wants every project to be net-zero by 2030 — a growing trend among tech companies and generation Z. An organization with similar goals can choose to donate its share of profits to a charity focused on sustainability, Susewitz said.
“Reusing furniture can be a major component in implementing circular economy strategies, which makes a positive impact in reducing embodied carbon in the built environment,” said Gensler resilience co-lead Gail Napell.
Refurbishing a career
Susewitz resurrected the idea for Clear Office after her own economic reckoning with the pandemic. It was an idea she abandoned during the dot-com boom.
“The concept that I had was exactly what I’m doing now but it didn’t happen 20 years ago.”
Susewitz and her husband Eric worked at the same San Francisco-based furniture dealer in 2020. ”They cut both our pays by 50% before we eventually got laid off,” she said. “I had about $10 million of office sales on the books for 2020 that basically disappeared.”
“I am thankfully coming out of this pandemic, but I spent so much time in bed feeling completely overwhelmed, became depressed and started getting panic attacks,” Susewitz said. “I thought to myself, we lost everything in 2008 because the economy was so bad and we’ve been rebuilding basically ever since. It felt like we were finally recovering and saving for a house down payment and then Covid happened and it was like, ‘okay now what do we do now?'”
So, Susewitz began re-evaluating the idea she had years ago.
The business was called RWA, inspired by the initials of Susewitz’s grandfather Fred Russell Williams, a local real estate developer from the 50s to the 70s.
Susewitz, who was born and raised in San Mateo, California, showed an early interest in architecture and interior design, including in Williams’ Hillsdale Inn, a former hot spot located across from one of the Bay Area’s most mourned landmarks, the Bay Meadows Racetrack. In its heyday, the Hillsdale Inn was well-known as a romantic destination. It hosted famous performers, from singers like Harry Belafonte to comedians like Bill Cosby.
She partially credits her entrepreneurial spirit to her grandfather, who built clientele from neighboring attractions like the Circle Star Theater in San Carlos.
“He’d sit outside the parking lot of Circle Star Theater each day, asking them to send stars who performed there,” she recalled. “And eventually, they did.”
Susewitz also credits some of her entrepreneurship to becoming a teenage mother at age 16. “I became a pretty motivated person but I also didn’t really have a choice because as a teenager, I had a child I needed to pay for.”
After high school, Susewitz decided to study commercial design at Cañada College in San Mateo, California. A few years later, she got her first job as a customer service representative.
“I really wanted it to be in the world of commercial furniture but I was worried about having the confidence to work with the CEOs and executives,” she said. “But I was able to get over that as I forced myself to do things that made me feel uncomfortable.”
Fast forward to the early 2000s, Susewitz abandoned her RWA business and got a full-time job at a furniture dealer. “I kinda lost interest in creating a consignment-type shop because I just kind of assumed well, eBay is going to do this and they’re huge and they’re going to figure it all out.”
‘It was a need’
She found herself with extra time on her hands after the pandemic hit. Susewitz said she did some research and couldn’t find a one-stop-shop where consumers and corporations could purchase high-quality, pre-owned office furniture. She reached out to former clients to ask what they thought of her idea.
“It was very apparent that it was a need,” she said. “You can find new furniture all day long but, for used furniture, you couldn’t find any websites where the photos weren’t unattractive or difficult to envision or where you’d have to email someone for a quote.”
She recalled in her prior job at the furniture dealer, companies often waited to sell furnishings until just before they had to vacate. Lots of it ended up at the dump. In the U.S., landfills received 9.68 million tons of furniture and furnishings in 2018, according to the most recent stats from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
“We had a project with a tech company where they had nine months before moving locations and said ‘we’re not taking it with us’ but then said, ‘yeah yeah, we’ll deal with that later,'” she recalled. “They’d put it off until the month they needed to vacate and they’d get charged thousands of dollars or it would be thrown in landfill.”
Susewitz announced her new startup on LinkedIn in October 2020 and immediately got signups from Uber and others, she said.
“I announced on LinkedIn we were launching the business and that I have a lot of contacts in the industry with facility industries, property contacts and construction partners,” she said. “It’s been crazy busy ever since.”
She said she also approached companies like Yelp when she read news reports of downsizing.
Since then, Susewitz has become the go-to person for several more tech companies and has added a board member and a few employees, including her husband Eric, who has experience managing commercial furniture for Marvel Semiconductor and Intuit in the Silicon Valley.
Greenthal said her firm is starting to explore how Susewitz’s approach could furnish flexible workspaces in the future. She said companies may be more likely to lease smaller spaces like hotel rooms on a per-use basis as an alternative to purchasing large swaths of pricey real estate.
“What Brandi’s doing is really unique and I think the idea will stick when you think about workers’ needs and the fact that you’ve still got thousands of employees in this geographic area alone,” Greenthal said.


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Find out how democratic clothing brands like H&M, Oysho, Pull & Bear, Bershka handle lockdown and the pandemic
Businesses are overcoming the coronavirus-related challenges in various ways. Many industries are forced to lay off their staff, most work processes have gone online, some payouts are delayed or cut – tough times require tough actions. And yet some socially responsible businesses are finding the time and money to help communities fight the spread of malicious infections and their negative consequences.
Fashion and retail are the most vulnerable sections, greatly dependent on their bricks-and-mortar outlets which are now closed in most cities of the world. Today we’ve decided to discover how democratic brands are adapting to the quarantine limitations.
In February, the financial firm UBS included H&M into the list of the European retailers which are at the greatest risk from the new strain of coronavirus. Moreover, the retail giant topped that list due to the high corporate share of sales from China, the total value of products it manufactures in the country, and other relevant factors. For H&M, China accounts for about 50% of the total value of the products it sells. Therefore, the forecasts for the company were gloomy long before the COVID-19 spread over the entire European continent.
Sales development in the second half of the first quarter of 2020 was negatively impacted by the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus, particularly in China. At its peak, 334 of the group’s 518 stores in China were closed in February. Today, sales in China have gradually started to recover as the situation in the country has improved. 500 stores out of 516 have now reopened.
Following the European boom of coronavirus, all of the group’s stores have been temporarily closed in Italy, Poland, Spain, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Belgium, France, Austria, Germany, Luxembourg, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Portugal, Slovenia, Kazakhstan, Switzerland, Greece, Slovakia, Lithuania, Peru, Ukraine, the Philippines, the UK, Malaysia and Cyprus. In addition, the group has also closed all its stores for two weeks in the US and Canada. The online store in approximately 50 markets remains open.
H&M Foundation made a $500,000 contribution to the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund created by the UN Foundation, at the request of the World Health Organization (WHO). This donation will support WHO’s immediate global efforts to track and understand the spread of the virus, to ensure patients get the care they need, frontline workers get essential supplies and information, and to accelerate efforts to develop vaccines, tests, and treatments.
To help tackle the widespread effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, H&M Group is also arranging for its supply chain teams around the world to produce personal protective equipment for hospitals and health-care workers. The company has now opened access to the H&M social media channels for global aid organizations, such as the Red Cross, to spread messages concerning health and safety and how to help tackle the widespread effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. This way, the official information can reach 120 million people globally.
At the same time, the company is reviewing all parts of its operations, including all costs. Several measures are being taken with respect to buying, investments, rents, and staffing. Dialogue about temporary layoffs has been initiated in a number of markets. Globally, this is likely to affect tens of thousands of employees in all parts of the business.
The COVID-19 response changes are also going to affect shareholders. According to Stefan Persson, the chairman of the board:
“In the light of the current situation and the uncertainty about market developments, the board has today decided to withdraw its earlier dividend proposal of SEK 9.75 per share, approximately SEK 16 billion in total, and is instead proposing to the 2020 annual general meeting that no dividend is paid.”
However, the funds are not cut for the corporate annual innovation challenge. H&M is fully committed to supporting the Global Change Award winners of 2020 with a €1 million financial grant and Innovation Accelerator Program so that they can keep working and promote sustainable fashion. The COVID-19 pandemic should not hinder long-term sustainability objectives.
This Spanish homeware and sportswear brand is supporting the “workout at home” movement. On their website, they have published a schedule of Free Online Classes, mostly held through their IGTV channel or Instagram Live Sessions. You can either join one or watch it in your free time, as the recordings are available too. Sessions include various Yoga Lessons, Dancing, and Boxing. The experts in these videos also give advice on healthy eating habits and share recipes.
Responding to the new realities of quarantine, Oysho offers free delivery on all items until mid-April. Return periods have been extended to 30 days while some delivery and return methods (like shipping to the store) are temporarily unavailable and delivery times may be affected.
Its parent company Industria de Diseno Textil (Inditex) is considering laying off 25,000 employees in Spain temporarily. Most of the company’s administrative employees currently work from home. However, employees in logistics, central services, and manufacturing operations will not be affected by the possible decision.
Pull & Bear
Another member of the Inditex Group, Pull & Bear has also closed the majority of its European stores. Overall, the group had been forced to temporarily close over 3700 stores in 39 countries. Most of its stores in China remain open, following local health authorities’ guidelines. Sales for the group dropped 24.1% globally in the first two weeks of March.
Concentrating on online sales, Pull & Bear offers an alternative way of cashless payments to those who have no credit/debit bank cards. YouPay allows the person placing the order to ask another user to pay for their order. Linked accounts can also enjoy the discounts of the Affinity card. The person paying for the order can link up to 4 users.
Store deliveries, collection-point deliveries, and returns are temporarily out of service. Home deliveries over 20€ are free and made following new safety protocols. There is also a new deferred delivery option: if you’re in no hurry to receive your order, they can keep it in the warehouse and send it to you as soon as things get back to normal.
The returns period has been extended to 30 calendar days from the date Pull & Bear stores reopen, for both in-store purchases and online orders made from 13/02/2020.
While the business tries to continue its operation through online sales, it has found itself amidst the labor safety scandal. The UGT and CC.OO labor unions claimed that employees in Narón, Spain were dissatisfied with their working conditions, fearing for their safety. In the country with the third-highest COVID-19 death rate and the national lockdown measures, workers of Pull & Bear warehouses were said to be so alarmed that they were considering a strike. The unions stated that logistics staff complained about the absence of enhanced protective measures and Individual Protective Equipment (PPE) necessary to avoid contagion. They argued that the activity of Pull & Bear Logística “is not of primary necessity”, hence, workers are exposed to excessive risk.
Later on, the publishing company of Quincemil received an email with the protests of these workers, who say they disagree with the actions of their unions. Apparently, the employees have taken the initiative to collect signatures and deliver them to the company to notify them of their support. Many workers who contacted Quincemil assured the company that they didn’t plan any strike action. That decision was made by the representatives of UGT and CCOO of the works council without even consulting the staff. The vast majority of the staff does not agree with this approach.
Through its business model, Bershka aims to help the sustainable development of society and the environment with which it interacts. Their ‘eco-efficient’ shop management model includes using waste management, smart lighting, heating, and cooling systems for stores, organic fabrics, biodiesel fuels, etc. Now the business has become even more sustainable, going almost completely online amidst the coronavirus outbreak in their home country.
Bershka is also a part of the Spanish fashion retail giant Inditex, with sales that represent 9% of the total revenue for the whole group. The owner company itself started to implement remote working, temporarily closed its on-site gym and bus services at their headquarters, and reported its annual financial results via the phone rather than by usual live press conference. Inditex has also suspended its dividend to shareholders and will divert the cash to strengthen its balance sheet.
As with other members of the group, Bershka’s brick-and-mortar stores are closed in all countries where it’s requested by the governments. The online sales channel is maintained and the Group’s supply chain continues to function normally, demonstrating the flexibility of the business model.
Inditex recently announced it would make Zara and Bershka factories and logistics teams available to the Spanish Government to donate face masks for patients as well as surgical masks and hospital gowns for medical workers.
The company statement claimed it has already donated 10,000 protective face masks and is going to ship another 300,000 surgical masks soon. A process of sourcing medical grade fabric for hospital gowns has been launched too.


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OPPO appoints Chi Zhou as President for the Middle East and Africa region, responsible for leading sales, product, and market development strategies
Chi’s extensive industry experience and strong leadership abilities make him an ideal candidate to drive OPPO’s growth and success in the region
DUBAI, UAE, July 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — OPPO announces the appointment of Chi Zhou as the global technology brand’s news President for the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region. In this pivotal role, Chi will be responsible for spearheading OPPO’s sales, product, and market development strategies to ensure the brand’s continued success and growth in the region.
With over a decade of experience in the technology and telecommunications industry, Chi brings a wealth of expertise to his role. He has held various positions within OPPO since 2019 and was previously the Head of Overseas Reno GTM. Under his leadership, the Reno series achieved remarkable market share and profitability in international markets through an effective sales strategy. Chi’s exemplary leadership abilities and deep understanding of OPPO’s core values make him the perfect candidate to drive the brand’s growth and prosperity in the Middle East and Africa.
Discussing his new role, Chi Zhou, President of OPPO MEA said, “I am honored to take on the position as the new President of OPPO MEA and embark on this exciting journey with a company that prioritizes innovation and excellence. Working alongside our dedicated team, we will tirelessly strive to deliver cutting-edge products that captivate our customers and reinforce OPPO’s position as a leading technology brand in the region.”
Throughout his career, Chi Zhou has consistently demonstrated unwavering passion for innovation, propelling him to the forefront of his field. His exceptional leadership skills and adaptability have enabled him to navigate the ever-evolving corporate landscape, positioning him as a valuable asset to OPPO’s ongoing success.
OPPO is a leading global smart device brand. Since the launch of its first mobile phone – “Smiley Face” – in 2008, OPPO has been in relentless pursuit of the perfect synergy of aesthetic satisfaction and innovative technology. Today, OPPO provides a wide range of smart devices spearheaded by the Find and Reno series. Beyond devices, OPPO also provides its users with ColorOS operating system and internet services such as OPPO Cloud and OPPO+. OPPO has footprints in more than 60 countries and regions, with more than 40,000 employees dedicated to creating a better life for customers around the world.
About OPPO MEA
OPPO started its journey in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region in 2015. Now OPPO is physically present in more than 13 markets across the region, including Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa.
Based on insights of local consumers in each country, OPPO has evolved the progress of product localisation, taking into consideration several perspectives towards each market, including product localisation, to further meet the core needs of users; marketing localisation, to better communicate with local young customers; and talent localisation, to understand local consumers further and provide an optimum customer service.
Within the last year, OPPO has started to adjust its product line in the Middle East region specifically. This has included the launch of its flagship OPPO Find X Series and the introduction of the OPPO Reno Series. OPPO will continue to evolve its local product line to offer more premium series to consumers in the region.
A forward-thinking international technology company, OPPO strives to be a sustainable company that contributes to a better world and have enacted positive change in every way possible through activating local community initiatives and humanitarian, charity campaigns.


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Creating a fast-growing company may be as simple as recognizing a market need and filling it, according to W. Michael Wright, CEO of mail-order pharmacy Wellpartner Inc.
In the case of Portland-based Wellpartner, Wright said, the need was threefold: Consumers wanted to get prescriptions filled as conveniently as possible, health care insurers sought to lower the cost of filling prescriptions and traditional pharmacies faced a shortage of pharmacists.
Co-founder Robert Judge identified how to meet the need in 1998, when the concept for the company was formed, Wright said. Home delivery would provide the added convenience and new technology for automating the process of putting pills in bottles would generate cost savings while decreasing labor requirements.
"Use of mail-order is very convenient," Wright said, contrasting the minute spent picking up one's mail with the travel time and waiting time involved in a trip to the local drugstore.
Cost matters to consumers as well as to insurers, Wright said. As consumers are forced to bear a higher percentage of prescription costs, they need ways to take a more active role in managing those costs. Use of generic medications and other strategies deployed by Wellpartner allow consumers to do just that.
There's no doubt that home delivery of medicine is catching on, Wright said. About 174 million prescriptions were shipped by mail in 2003.
Wellpartner serves as the in-house pharmacy for health plans around the country, including Providence Health Plans, the Oregon Health Plan and Care Oregon. It negotiates agreements with its clients, rather than having to formally bid against competitors, Wright said.
"There are renewable contracts every year," Wright said. "There's no reason for them to change if we're doing our job, if we're providing exemplary service and we're working as a true partner."
Despite the rapid sales growth, Wellpartner's 23-person work force is about the same size now as it was in 2001. That counters the pattern at most young companies, which tend to keep hiring steadily, sometimes exponentially, in the first few years.
The employment picture reflects the unusual circumstance that occurred when the company was formed, Wright said. At that time, AARP was closing its regional mail-order pharmacy, located in Tigard, as part of a consolidation strategy.
"We had the opportunity early on to put together a very strong team of folks that had lots of years of experience and lots of customer interface running a mail-service pharmacy," Wright said. "While it was very difficult as a fledgling company to bring on a staff of that size, I felt it was better when one has that opportunity to bring them on board and then grow the business into the staff."
Accomplishing that growth took awhile, and there were a few times when payroll was postponed, Wright said. Surviving those occasions required complete honesty with the employees, just as a company's service providers deserve full disclosure.
"You have to be totally honest with your colleagues at work, you have to be totally honest with your banker and with everybody you deal with, and people will hang in there with you and do everything they can to support you."
With that support, he said, Wellpartner will soon consolidate its work force -- currently the corporate staff works in downtown Portland and the pharmacy staff in Lake Oswego -- and will invest at that time in a fully automated fulfillment system, instead of the semiautomated one it now relies on, Wright said. He expects Wellpartner will double its annual revenue in 2004, 2005 and 2006.


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There is a new member to the upper echelon of subscription OTT services in the U.S. market, according to new subscription OTT market share research from Parks Associates. The firm found that Netflix, Amazon Video (aka Amazon Prime) and Hulu remain the top three. But HBO Now has made a move and now is in fifth position.
Subscription OTT Market Share Shifts
Other changes during the past year, the firm found, are that YouTube Red has entered the top ten (at number 7). Premium channels for Starz (number 6) and Showtime (number 8) entered or moved up the list. MLB.TV (number 4) and WWE (just outside the top ten) are the leading sports-oriented subscription OTT services.
“While the top three are no surprise, the big story over the past year has been the rapid subscriber growth for OTT video services from HBO, Showtime, and Starz,” Brett Sappington, Senior Director of Research, Parks Associates, said in a press release. “The combination of recognized brands and popular original content is driving demand for their offerings. Services such as Sling TV and Crunchyroll are still enjoying strong growth, but other services have simply grown at a faster rate over the past year.”
The top ten according to Parks are as follows:
- Amazon Video (Amazon Prime)
- Hulu (SVOD)
- HBO Now
- YouTube Red
- CBS All Access
- Sling TV
The drama seems to be whether one provider’s rate of growth will be greater than another’s. “While more online pay-TV services could enter the top 10 within the next year, those services that comprise the top 10 are recognized brands that are aggressively working to expand their subscriber bases. Displacing them will be a difficult task,” Sappington said.
OTT providers and operators are working together, and OTT providers are working with each other, Parks notes. Additional data:
- One-third of U.S. broadband households subscribe to multiple OTT services.
- More than 200 OTT video services are available in the U.S. today.
- Over 87% of OTT video services in the U.S. offer some type of subscription option today, including freemium, ad-free premium tiers, and other blended business models.


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Global markets were stricken by yesterday’s events in Ukraine. Uncertainty surrounding the Kremlin’s action and its motives started a tidal wave of anxiety and uncertainty in the Asian and Australian markets that had a ripple effect through the markets worldwide.
While all that was the backdrop to yesterday’s moves, there was a plethora of data coming out of the US, all showing continued strength and optimism in the world’s largest economy. While the numbers failed to move the markets in a positive direction yesterday, the trend has reversed today.
Here’s why we are bullish on continuing US growth and we look at companies and industries that can benefit from it.
Personal Consumption Continues to Grow
Personal consumption figures as released by the Department of Commerce show a real increase of 0.3% month-over-month (MoM) in January, while nominal consumption increased by 0.4% MoM during the same period. Continued growth since April of last year shows that the largest contributor to the US economy, personal spending, is not only growing but translating into higher sales for companies that benefit from an increase in discretionary spending.
General Motors Company (GM), Las Vegas Sands (LVS), Nike, Inc. (NKE) and Starbucks Corp. (SBUX) all outperformed the broader market and the Consumer Discretionary Select SPDR (XLY) was up 38% for 2013, compared to the S&P which was up a little over 26%.
The Luxury Goods Industry is also expected to benefit from continued growth in personal consumption and consumer spending and we at Bidness Etc remain bullish on the Retail Industry in general but also Tiffany & Co. (TIF) and Ralph Lauren Corp. (RL) in particular.
Housing Leads Construction Spending
Construction spending figures were probably the biggest surprise yesterday. With an expected contraction of a half a percent MoM, the Deptartment of Commerce released data that shows a slight increase of a tenth of a percent in January.
Spending was expected to decline due to unusually extreme weather in the country stretching from the mid-west all the way to the north east. The surprise reading was led by spending in the residential sector with private residential spending seeing a rise of 1.1% MoM.
Public residential construction spending was down the most with a decline of 13.4% MoM, while private non-residential and public non-residential both declined by 0.2% and 0.5% respectively.
Public residential construction spending is the only segment that has declined since last year, while all the rest are either up slightly or in the case of private construction spending, up more than 13%. Fluor (FLR) and Jacobs Engineering Group (JEC) were up 31.6% and 44% respectively in the Construction and Engineering industry and could see a further increase in their valuations as non-residential construction spending picks up.
Manufacturing Finds Strong Footing
The Institute of Supply Management (ISM) released February’s reading for the manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) at a strong 53.2 versus an expected reading of 52. Any reading of over 50 shows an expansion in manufacturing activity while a reading below 50 suggests a contraction.
Manufacturing in the US has seen strong expansion over the past 12 months, showing growth in all but two months when it was actually flat. Companies in the Capital Goods sector which are involved in the manufacturing of industrial goods will benefit the most from a rising PMI. This includes a list of some well-known companies such as Boeing Co. (BA) and Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT) in aerospace & defense, and Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) and Cummins Inc. (CMI) in machine manufacturing.
While the aerospace industry has had a record year machine manufacturers have underperformed the market due to their significant exposure to the mining industry. Companies like CAT were able to offset some of their losses through their construction businesses.
Companies with diversified product portfolios that include conglomerates such as General Electric Company (GE), 3M Company (MMM) and United Technologies Corp. (UTX) also outperformed the market last year. 3M was up the most at 48% followed by UTX and GE, which were up 35.48% and 31.35% respectively.
Developed nations and the US specifically have helped sustain a slow but steady global recovery. Yesterday’s data shows improving fundamentals in the US although construction spending still has a long way to go in getting back to pre-recession levels. Consumer confidence levels have also been rising over the last two years but are still short of 2006 levels. As the job market improves and unemployment levels continue to drop, we can expect consumer spending to continue to grow and in turn have a positive effect on the whole economy.


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Abuja Chapter of the Newspaper Vendors Association, has cried out to the Federal CapitalTerritory[FCT] Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), complaining that their business of selling newspapers is at the verge of extinction due to the proliferation of social media in the country.
Chairman of the Association, Comrade Samuel Jimoh, who stated this when he and members of his executive paid a courtesy call on the NUJ Abuja Council Chairman, Comrade Chuks Ehirim, said they came to see ways the council could help them out from their present predicament.
The Vendors Association appealed to the NUJ boss to take their message to the national body saying that even though they did not know how the publishers benefit from the online postings, they would prefer they delay their daily postings until late in the day when the daily papers would have sold reasonably.
Comrade Jimoh also complained about the statement credited to the FCT Minister’s Senior Special Adviser on Media, Mr Nosike Ogbuenyi , that the vendors circulate junks stressing that they would want the union to alert them on any publication that is harmful to individuals or any segment of the society before they take such to the market.
In view of the drastic drop in the sales of the newspapers, Jimoh solicited the assistance of the NUJ on their proposed skill acquisition project so that vendors would have something to fall back on when some of them can no longer move about to sell papers due to old age.
Responding the NUJ Chairman Comrade Ehirim said there was nothing anybody could do about the social media which he said is a global trend, advising the vendors to be more vigorous in their sales as newspaper sales remain the bulk of Africa’s source of information due to computer illiteracy on the part of many people.
He described their business as a vital one in the chain of newspaper production and distribution as most people still rely on them for their readership of the papers, saying the union would continue to support them and protect their relevance provided they operated within the confine of the law.
Comrade Ehirim assured the vendors that the union would do all in its power to support them in their effort to diversify through skill acquisition by introducing them to the authorities in the FCT.


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Leaders can now adapt to a new connected business reality, led as usual by Apple iOS
Business intelligence (BI) on the go is finally here, thanks to the arrival of high performance mobile devices led by Apple's iOS platform, and the evolution of robust data carrying infrastructure, states research firm, Ovum.
Mobile BI solutions, which in the past have suffered from a lack of technological advancement and use cases, can now enable senior executives and line of business managers to adapt to a new connected business reality which expects them to have ready access to BI information in order to make quick and timely business decisions.
In its latest evaluation of the mobile BI landscape, Ovum reveals that mid-sized vendors – MicroStrategy, Information builders and Yellowfin – are leading the charge with feature-packed yet functional mobile solutions, while mega BI vendor SAP emerges as a top solution for iOS-enabled devices.
Ovum's report finds that while all vendors fully support the iOS platform, followed closely by Android (90%), there is a considerable lack support for BlackBerry (50%) and Windows (33%) devices.
'There is no question that the iPad's success in the consumer market has affected vendors' go to market strategies,' stated Fredrik Tunvall, analyst at Ovum. 'However, to reach a larger audience, they should consider supporting native or hybrid applications for Android and Windows devices, as both are expected to become increasingly prevalent in the enterprise, especially in emerging markets.'
While SAP's offering has been driven by its acquisitions of Afaria, Syclo and Sybase, and a BI roadmap that is heavily influenced by a 'mobile first' mindset, competitors IBM, Oracle and SAS are also eyeing market share. Ovum believes they have the technology and necessary development resources to improve their solutions quickly in 2013.
'We expect BI vendors to enhance their mobile capabilities through inhouse development and a continued wave of M&A activity,' commented Tunvall. 'This will also be where we will see some of the most interesting and innovative developments in BI and analytics over the next few years.'
Ovum's research also exposes a growing trend towards packaged and purpose-built mobile applications for verticals and line of business managers. Vendors will use this model to provide a collection of prebuilt applications and/or offer a mobile development platform where users can easily develop and deploy mobile applications for specific needs or roles.


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PARIS (Reuters) – French auto parts maker Faurecia noticed gross sales decline greater than 10% within the third quarter on Tuesday as its prospects reduce manufacturing on account of a world scarcity of semiconductor chips.
The corporate, which presents car seats, dashboards, and gasoline techniques, reported gross sales of $ 3.43 billion ($ 4 billion), up from $ 3.82 billion in the identical interval in 2020. Shares had been down 1 to 0838 GMT. 9% again to 41.52 euros.
Nevertheless, Faurecia mentioned it outperformed the sector as a complete, citing data supplier IHS Markit’s October forecasts, which confirmed a greater than 19% decline in world car manufacturing.
Automobile makers like Renault, Volkswagen and Stellantis – a few of Faurecia’s largest prospects – have reduce their manufacturing targets and slowed demand for parts as a result of shortage.
Provide chain points have slowed automakers’ efforts to recuperate from final yr’s coronavirus lockdowns and transfer to creating electrical autos.
In a phone name with analysts, CFO Michel Favre mentioned the corporate would demand compensation if prospects “brutally” canceled orders with lower than a day’s discover. He did not say what the response was.
Along with the chip scarcity, Favre mentioned, Faurecia was additionally confronted with rising prices for metal and plastic.
He added that the corporate faces “important operational challenges” with its new workplaces in Detroit and Michigan, primarily on account of difficulties in recruiting expert employees, excessive employees turnover and rising salaries.
Faurecia reiterated its monetary steering for 2021, though circumstances stay very troublesome in the direction of the tip of the yr. It had lowered its forecast in September following IHS Markit’s forecast of a world auto manufacturing deficit.
The Stifel analyst Pierre-Yves Quemener mentioned that the corporate’s annual turnover – based mostly on 15.5 billion euros – will depend upon a rise in manufacturing by the tip of the yr, though the money circulation forecast appears “sure”.
Final week, IHS Markit estimated that the availability chain points would price the automotive business about 11 million autos this yr.
(Reporting by Sarah Morland; Enhancing by Subhranshu Sahu and David Holmes)
Copyright 2021 Thomson Reuters.


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SEATTLE -- Microsoft Corp. and Barnes & Noble Inc. plan to develop and market electronic books using Microsoft's new "ClearType" technology.
Barnes & Noble's bookstores, along with the barnesandnoble.com Web site, will begin offering e-books starting in the middle of next year, according to Barnes & Noble vice chairman Steve Riggio.
By that time, the Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft will have included its Microsoft Reader software, under development for more than a year, in most of its operating systems, including systems that run WebTV and a new series of palm-size computing devices due out in the next several months.
"This technology is revolutionary," said Dick Brass, Microsoft vice president of technology development, during a press conference this morning at the 2000 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. "But without a good vendor, a retailer to bring this technology to consumers in both the retail stores and online, our reading technology is not enough."
The New York-based Barnes & Noble, for its part, will market the Microsoft Reader e-books aggressively, both in stores and online.
"We're going to hit them over the head with this thing," Riggio said.
For example, major book releases could have entire chapters available for preview online, Riggio said, giving Internet users the feeling of browsing a bookstore and reading a few pages.
Electronic books have met with little success in the consumer markets, though has made some inroads among businesses, where a number of technical manuals, training texts and business documents are sometimes distributed in electronic format.
In addition to providing Microsoft Reader software with its Windows 98 and Windows 2000 operating systems, Microsoft will also include it with its new series of handheld computers, dubbed the Pocket PC by chairman Bill Gates in his Wednesday night keynote speech to the electronics show.
"When it comes to the Pocket PC, the Barnes & Noble agreement will be great for consumers," said Craig Mundie, senior vice president of consumer strategy at Microsoft. "The Pocket PC will let people bring a number of books with them wherever they go in this portable, easy-to-carry form."
In addition to Microsoft Reader, the Pocket PC will also include a Windows Media Player for playing videos and for listening to digital music in either Windows Media or the popular MP3 digital formats.
The Pocket PC will run on a newly streamlined version of Microsoft's Windows CE operating system. Microsoft hopes the new Pocket PCs will help it gain a larger share of the personal digital assistant, or PDA, market, currently dominated by Palm Computing's line of handheld devices.
© 2017. All Rights Reserved. | Contact Us


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Mercedes’ new CEO finds Southern hospitality in Atlanta
By Maria Saporta
As published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle on April 8, 2016
On Dec. 18 of last year, Dietmar Exler was planning to leave that afternoon with his family to fly to his home country of Austria for the holidays.
But at 4:30 a.m. that Friday morning, the phone rang. It was Ola Källenius, the global head of marketing and sales for Mercedes-Benz.
“Are you awake?” Källenius asked Exler, vice president of sales for Mercedes-Benz USA. “You are going to be even more awake in a minute.”
That’s when Exler learned that his direct boss, Steve Cannon, was leaving the company to become CEO of the AMB Group, the parent company of the Atlanta Falcons, the Atlanta United FC soccer franchise and other business interests owned by Arthur Blank, a co-founder of The Home Depot.
“We thought about it, and we want you to be president,” Källenius told Exler. “That’s pretty cool, isn’t it?”
Källenius laid out the plan. Cannon and Exler would have a town hall meeting with employees that Monday with a roll-out of the news. Of course he would have to change his flight to Austria.
“I didn’t need any coffee to wake up that day,” Exler said in a April 5 interview with Atlanta Business Chronicle about how he became president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA. “I’m fine with the way it happened. It happened so quickly I didn’t have time to say no. It’s a dream job.”
Mercedes-Benz USA already had made a big splash in Atlanta – moving its headquarters from Montvale, N.J., in mid-2015. Then in August, the luxury car company announced it was buying the naming rights of the new home of the Atlanta Falcons – which would now be known as the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Exler, 48, now is heading the effort to promote the Mercedes brand in the United States. He also has oversight for Mercedes in Mexico and Canada.
At the same time, the company is building its new corporate headquarters near the Sandy Springs MARTA Station. The headquarters will have a courtyard surround by three buildings totaling about 200,000 square feet, which will include an onsite gym and daycare facility.
The headquarters – designed for a collaborative work environment – will open in early 2018 and house about 800 Mercedes-Benz employees.
When Exler describes his career, he does it in four words: lawyer, banker, car salesman. In 2002, Exler began working for Daimler Chrysler Financial in Europe until 2010 when he became vice president for Mercedes-Benz Financial Services USA, and he was based in Detroit.
Then in 2014 he got promoted to the vice president of sales and marketing for MBUSA – planning to move to New Jersey. At the time, Mercedes knew its facility in Montvale needed to be modernized, and the company would have to move during the upgrade. As they began to look for alternatives in New York and New Jersey, they began to question why they were limiting themselves to those two states. That’s when Mercedes started exploring relocating its headquarters.
The company considered a dozen cities, and then a top team of executives visited the three finalists before picking Atlanta in a “nearly unanimous vote.” So instead of moving from Detroit to Montvale, Exler came to Atlanta. His family is still in Detroit until his son finishes high school next year.
“I had no idea that we would be moving to Atlanta, and I had no idea that I would be following Steve,” Exler said. “That was not in the cards.”
But Exler is someone who goes with the flow – trying to find the right balance in his job. When it comes to selling the Mercedes brand, he said the company tries to find the “right median between price and volume.” It could sell many more cars if they were cheaper, but it is protective of its luxury brand.
“Our benchmark on how well we are doing is based on us versus our competition. The competitor for Mercedes-Benz is BMW,” Exler said before citing the latest sales comparisons. “We were down 3 percent, and BMW was down 10 percent.”
The naming of the Falcons stadium was a way for Mercedes-Benz to quickly place its roots in Atlanta as well as marry a customer-focused brand with a team owner who values the “fan experience,” Exler said. “That resonated. It was a great opportunity.”
It just so happened that after the negotiations with Mercedes-Benz, Blank began looking for someone to become CEO of his business interests. Cannon, who had always loved sports, began talking about joining the organization. He knew that if he stayed with Mercedes-Benz, he likely would have to move to Germany.
But because of their respective roles, Exler and Cannon still get to work together.
“We want to be an active corporate citizen in the community and contribute our part in making the community better,” said Exler, adding that in the naming rights deal with Blank, Mercedes-Benz agreed to support the revitalization efforts on the west side of Atlanta. “We want to help turn it around and make it a better place.”
Exler said the company will continue to work with the Laureus Foundation, a global initiative based on Nelson Mandela’s belief that sports can change the world.
And on March 28, Exler sent a letter to Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal urging him to veto a highly controversial religious liberty bill, House Bill 757, writing that the bill “troubles us greatly. Mercedes-Benz USA and Daimler AG do not support legislation that directly or indirectly promotes any form of discrimination.”
Deal announced he would veto the bill the same day.
“In today’s world, we can’t discriminate as businesses,” Exler said in the interview.
Exler also is delighted the company selected Atlanta for its headquarters.
“I’m here full time,” Exler said, adding he still flies home to Detroit most weekends until his family is able to move south. “What I really enjoy about Atlanta is the Southern hospitality.”
He bought a townhouse, and a neighbor invited him to a birthday party. He also loves being part of the CEO circle in town, and he appreciates all the offers of help – including a referral for a barber.
“People are very nice, very friendly, very outgoing. We enjoy that. That’s the same experience our employees have had,” Exler said. “This is our corporate home. We spent 50 years in New Jersey, and we expect to be here in Atlanta for 50 years.”
Mercedes-Benz USA Facts
Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA), headquartered in Atlanta, is responsible for the distribution, marketing and customer service for all Mercedes-Benz products in the United States.
- 373 dealerships
- Over 800 employees in Atlanta and Montvale, N.J. (the latter employees will relocate after the opening of the new headquarters in Q1 2018)
In 2015, MBUSA had its highest year on record with sales of 380,461 and expects to top that with an all-time record in 2016.
MBUSA has the most diverse lineup in the luxury segment with 15 model lines ranging from the sporty CLA-Class four-door coupe to the flagship S-Class and the Mercedes-AMG GT S. (MBUSA is also responsible for Mercedes-Benz Vans and smart products in the U.S.)
MBUSA is in year four of the largest product offensive in the company’s history that brings 30 new models in a seven-year period. Nine new models will debut in 2016
MBUSA attributes MBUSA’s strong momentum to:
- A strong, consistent product pipeline (youngest and broadest in the industry)
- A great blend of established expertise and fresh thinking in “MBUSA 2.0”
- Some of the most experienced dealers in the industry
- A laser focus on providing the best customer experience bar none
- The new headquarters spans approximately 200,000 square feet and is designed to incorporate natural sunlight and landscape, an onsite gym, daycare facility as well as a courtyard that brings together all three buildings.
- Will open in Q1 2018
- Design will be modern, clean and sophisticated – emphasis on collaboration and innovation.


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Ford Denies Volvo Sale Rumors From:Forbes May 30 2007
About 0.02 percent of Volkswagen's outstanding stock had been tendered to Porsche as of 1300 GMT on Friday, May 25, Porsche said in a statement today.
The Stuttgart-based luxury sports carmaker, which launched a mandatory takeover bid for Volkswagen but offered the legal minimum as it had no intention of acquiring a majority stake through the bid, said investors had tendered 42,722 ordinary shares and 20,567 preference shares to Porsche.
It is offering just 100.92 euros per ordinary share and 65.54 euros per preference share – each price roughly 10 percent below current market rates.
The offer was triggered after Porsche raised its voting stake in Volkswagen above 30 percent, and the tender expires at 2200 GMT today.
Despite Porsche publicly stating it has no intention of acquiring a majority in Volkswagen through the bid and expects little acceptance, traders have said investors had repeatedly driven shares in VW higher due to expectation that Porsche would raise its offer.
BMW decides to outsource its ancillaries from India From: India News May 31 2007
In yet another instance reflecting India’s emergence as a major sourcing hub for automobile components, German auto major BMW today announced that it will set up an International Purchasing Office (IPO) in Delhi by August.
The office will cater to its worldwide ancillaries requirement for its production capacities across 23 manufacturing sites and will be headed by an expatriat. “The purchasing office will be directly reporting to our global head-quarters in Munich though there will be co-operation between us,” said BMW India president Peter Kronschnabl.
BMW currently has a purchase unit for its manufacturing unit in Chennai and the two offices may approach vendors together. Currently, BMW sources some IT components from India but the new office will see a drastic increase in the volume and value of sourcing. Kronschnabl however did not divulge the quantum of sourcing expected to be generated from India.
"Once the sourcing team comes to India, they will study what kind of components to be sourced from here," he said. With the office here BMW joins the list of global manufacturers like Renault, Volkawagen and Daimler Chrysler. DC has been sourcing components out of India for its global operations in Japan, US and Germany and its quantum of sourcing has been increasing by 20 per cent year on year.
BMW India has also lined up the launch of a slurry of models this year starting with the 5 series next month followed by SUVs X3 and X5, homologation tests for which is on.
Proton Falls on Loss; Volkswagen Alliance Talks End From:Bloomberg June 01 2007
Shares of Proton Holdings Bhd., Malaysia's biggest automaker, fell after the government said Volkswagen AG dropped plans to buy a stake and the Southeast Asian carmaker posted its first annual loss in at least 17 years.
Proton stock, down 20 percent this year, fell as much as 3.7 percent in Kuala Lumpur today after the state-run automaker yesterday reported a loss of 591.4 million ringgit ($174 million) for the 12 months ended March 31. Volkswagen, Europe's biggest automaker, no longer wants a stake in Proton, Malaysia's Second Finance Minister Nor Mohamed Yakcop told reporters today.


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Menomonee Falls — The Menomonee Falls area is becoming somewhat of a bulk shopping destination. Shortly after Costco was announced as the anchor of Whitestone Station, the Milwaukee Common Council has approved the development of a new Sam's Club across the street from Woodman's on Highway 145.
On July 22, the council unanimously approved plans for a new 135,000-square-foot store and a gas station to be built on vacant land at 124th Street and West Bradley Road.
The store will replace its existing location at 76th Street and Calumet Road, which will shut down as a result of the move. Employees of the old store will be offered jobs at the new location, which is expected to start construction by the end of the year.
"The main reason for the move is that we are listening to our members," said Daniel Jenkins, who manages the existing store and will make the move to the new location. "With the change, we will get into a location where our members want us and do so in a larger building with the latest and greatest technology, which will ultimately serve our members better."
When it comes to competing with stores like the new Menomonee Falls Costco, as well as Woodman's across the street, Jenkins said Sam's Club will uphold its standards for serving small business as a means to stand apart from the competition.
"It has been and will continue to be that we are in business for small business," Jenkins said. "We have many different areas throughout the store where we save small businesses time and money."
A call to Woodman's for comment was not returned.
Meanwhile, about four miles away, a new 150,000-square-foot Costco store will anchor a large mixed-use development planned for a 65-acre area south of Highway 41/45 and west of Pilgrim Road formerly occupied by the Stolper Steel/Western Industries factory.
Following the demolition of the factory, the first phase of the development included a 91,000-square-foot Wisconsin Athletic Club and Froedtert Health sports medicine facility, which opened late 2013.
Whitestone Station will also include several other retail buildings totaling about 240,000 square feet, as well as 320 high-end apartments.
A call to Costco for comment was not returned.
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- Menomonee Falls police report: July 30, 2015 issue
- Menomonee Falls enjoys another four days in a festive mood
- In Brief: July 30
- Wine added to Falls Fest lineup
- Menomonee Falls' DeCloux crowned Waukesha County's Fairest of the Fair
- Menomonee Falls Police Reports: July 23, 2015
- Woodman's shoplifter pulls knife on employee
- Bank robbery suspect in custody
- 90-year-old Menomonee Falls woman celebrates birthday with gym staff
- Menomonee Falls considers updates to comprehensive plan


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Broadcom Limited: Mega Merger Is The Beginning Of A New Era In The Semiconductor Space
SevenSeas Investment Research • 85 Comments
SevenSeas Investment Research • 85 Comments
Will Avago Be A Rock In A Turbulent Semiconductor Sea?
Stephen Simpson, CFA • 10 Comments
Stephen Simpson, CFA • 10 Comments
Tue, Nov. 8, 1:42 PM
- Broadcom (AVGO +0.4%) has a $6.5B bridge loan lined up from six banks for its acquisition of Brocade (BRCD -0.1%), Reuters reports.
- The companies came to agreement on an all-cash $5.9B buyout of Brocade (including debt) last Wednesday.
- Signing on to the unsecured loan, according to Reuters: BofA Merrill Lynch, Deutsche Bank, Barclays, Bank of Montreal, Citigroup and Credit Suisse. They'll hold the loan until permanent financing is in place by next April, when closing is expected.
Wed, Nov. 2, 7:16 AM
- As has been floated for the past few days, Broadcom (NASDAQ:AVGO) is buying Brocade (NASDAQ:BRCD), with the all-cash price working out to $12.75 per share.
- Broadcom expects to fund the deal with new debt and cash already on the balance sheet. The purchase is expected to be immediately accretive to non-GAAP free cash flow and EPS. The company sees Brocade's FC SAN business as contributing about $900M of pro forma non-GAAP EBITDA is FY18.
- A conference call is set for 8 ET.
- BRCD +8.1% to $12.15 premarket.
Tue, Nov. 1, 3:25 PM
- If Broadcom (AVGO -1.4%) goes through with an acquisition of Brocade Communications (BRCD +7.3%), it would combine its $67B business with one now worth $5.6B after two days of sharp gains.
- In a deal (which is not final and could fall apart), Broadcom would keep Brocade's Fibre Channel and storage business (about $1.5B in annual revenues) but look to divest the networking business -- much of which was acquired in Brocade's own acquisition of Ruckus Wireless.
- Broadcom would bulk up its offering tied to data center backbones with the addition of a high-margin fiber business like Brocade's.
- Brocade is now up 31% over the past two days, moving it into positive ground for 2016 (up 23.9%).
Tue, Nov. 1, 3:15 PM
- Brocade Communications (NASDAQ:BRCD) has made another sharp move up, now +7.1%, on a report that it's near a deal to be acquired by Broadcom (AVGO -1.5%).
- The news comes a day after its deal-chatter-fueled 22% rise.
- The deal could be announced later this week, Reuters reports.
- RBC Capital has upgraded shares to Outperform and raised its price target to $14, making room for 29% more upside from the new level set. As with others, RBC is pointing to Broadcom (NASDAQ:AVGO) chief Hock Tan as a very interested party.
- “We think that Brocade makes sense as a strategic asset to the right operator or CEO (Hock Tan as a solid operator), which would lead to mid-single-digit accretion for the acquirer (35%+ operating margin potential),” writes Mitch Steves.
- If Broadcom can achieve $200M in opex synergies in a deal, it's $0.65 accretive to the acquirer, Steves says. And he also points to other potential buyers, including IBM, Oracle and Hitachi (OTCPK:HTHIY).
Mon, Oct. 31, 3:57 PM
- Brocade Communications (NASDAQ:BRCD) is up 22.3% and hanging right at 52-week high range after news that it's in talks to sell itself and getting close to the end of that process.
- A deal could be announced this week, Bloomberg reports, and one of the interested parties is reportedly Broadcom (AVGO +0.7%), which could be interested in supplementing its switch-chip business with Brocade's networking gear. Broadcom CEO Hock Tan has said he's interested in acquisitions.
- Such a deal might allow for better competition against much bigger rival Cisco Systems (CSCO +0.4%). "A purchase by Broadcom (Avago) would be a strategic move by Broadcom to vertically integrate in an IP switching and routing market that has increasingly moved to merchant silicon," notes Stifel analyst Aaron Rakers.
- He's maintained a Hold rating and $10 price target (the boost today has put Brocade at $10.63). He doesn't know any inside information about activity around Brocade this week but notes that for years, talk has persisted that Brocade might sell itself to suitors like H-P (NYSE:HPQ), Oracle (NASDAQ:ORCL) or IBM (NYSE:IBM).
- With current net debt (about $440M) and at $11/share, Brocade would come at about a $4.9B enterprise value, 7.3 times EBITDA, he says.
Mon, Oct. 24, 4:17 PM
- Analysts Mitch Steves and Amit Daryanani rate Microsemi (NASDAQ:MSCC) a "Top Pick" with a $48 target (current price $40.36).
- In considering the semiconductor sector on broad terms, the analysts believe mid-cap companies such as Microsemi present attractive opportunities to larger names on margin profiles and valuations. For Microsemi specifically, Texas Instruments (NYSE:TXN), Broadcom (NASDAQ:AVGO) and Maxim Integrated Products (NASDAQ:MXIM) are offered as potential acquirers, with Texas Instruments making the "most sense."
- Should Microsemi's leverage reduce from a current 3.7x level toward a 3x level, the analysts project the company at that point to firmly represent an attractive target.
Tue, May 24, 3:37 PM
- Xilinx (NASDAQ:XLNX) is up 5.9% this afternoon on heavy volume after a StreetInsider report saying the company has drawn a $15B takeover offer, but from a mystery suitor.
- The company has been considered the only large-cap chipmaker with the attributes of a good target, after Intel's purchase of Altera. Apple suppliers including Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM) or Broadcom (NASDAQ:AVGO) are the most likely suitors for Xilinx.
- Xilinx used yesterday's analyst day to reiterate guidance for fiscal 2017 (sales growth of 4-8%, opex growth of 7-9%) and prompt strong bullishness from Pacific Crest. Analyst John Vinh sees the firm taking share in field-programmable gate arrays from Intel's Altera, which has faced delays and has "already lost at 20 nm and 14 nm."
- Xilinx is expecting $750M in incremental revenue over the next five years, a modest 6% in compound annual growth. "Of the $750 million, $500 million is expected to be from market expansion, while $250 million should be from PLD share gains. This would imply ~$3.25 in EPS, which at 20x suggests fair value of $65," Vinh writes.
- That $65 value would be 37% upside from today's (higher) price; Vinh has a price target of $55 (16% upside).
- William Blair's Anil Doradla thought the overall tone was good but "lacked conviction" and was light on comment about the company's key wireless/wireline segments. He's maintaining an Outperform rating.
Thu, Apr. 28, 11:28 AM
- Along with its Q1 results, Cypress Semi (CY +2.7%) announces it's buying Broadcom/Avago's (AVGO +1.1%) wireless IoT chip unit, which sells, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Zigbee chips, for $550M in cash. Cypress is also acquiring Broadcom's WICED IoT brand and related SDK/developer ecosystem.
- With the Broadcom unit having revenue of $189M during the last 12 months, Cypress is paying 2.9x trailing sales. The deal is expected to close in Q3.
- Cypress: "The acquisition strengthens Cypress's position in key embedded systems markets, such as automotive and industrial, and establishes it as a leader in the high-growth consumer IoT market, a segment that includes wearable electronics and home automation solutions."
- Broadcom notes the deal doesn't cover its wireless connectivity offerings for phones, notebooks, set-tops, and Wi-Fi access points. The company has said it's looking to divest some assets in the wake of the Broadcom/Avago merger, as it tries to streamline its offerings and pay off some of the debt taken on to help finance the merger.
- Separately, Cypress states long-time CEO T.J. Rodgers will step down this week. While the board searches for Rodgers' successor, daily operations will be handled by an Office of the CEO featuring several senior execs.
- Rodgers: "This March, Valeta and I celebrated my 68th birthday in Mexico. Upon reflection, while I am still passionately interested in Element 14, silicon, I have always planned not to be spending most of my time in the last decade of my career immersed in the details of the operations ... And, to be completely candid, the board and even the executive staff have urged me to bring new blood into operations." He'll continue to work on some projects for Cypress.
- Cypress is guiding for Q2 revenue of $440M-$470M and EPS of $0.10-$0.14, in-line with a consensus of $454.8M and $0.11. Both Cypress and Broadcom are higher.
Thu, Mar. 10, 6:44 PM
- Notably, Marvell doesn't go as far as to say it isn't looking to sell itself. The NY Post reported last weekend Marvell is now open to a sale, and speculated Avago, now known as Broadcom (NASDAQ:AVGO), could buy the company. Light Reading reported last summer Avago is looking to bid for Marvell once it's done acquiring Broadcom.
- MRVL -0.8% after hours to $9.92.
Mon, Mar. 7, 9:49 AM
- The NY Post reports Marvell (MRVL +2.5%) is now open to selling itself. Broadcom (AVGO -1%), the product of a giant recently-closed merger between Avago and (traditional) Broadcom, is mentioned by a source as a potential buyer.
- Light Reading reported last July Avago is looking to bid for Marvell after the Broadcom deal closes. In the event of a deal, there could be some antitrust scrutiny regarding Ethernet and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth combo chip overlap.
- The Post's report comes shortly after the end of Marvell's Audit Committee probe (no fraudulent activity was found), and a month after activist Starboard Value disclosed a 6.7% stake (followed a 2013 stake disclosure by KKR), while calling for fresh cost cuts. Marvell also recently settled Carnegie Mellon's infringement suit against the company for $750M.
- Marvell is higher on a morning the Nasdaq is down 0.3%.
Nov. 10, 2015, 6:21 PM
- As expected, both Avago (NASDAQ:AVGO) and Broadcom (NASDAQ:BRCM) shareholders have approved the companies' planned merger. Avago states over 99% of shareholder votes were cast in favor of the deal. (PRs: Avago, Broadcom)
- The deal is expected to close in late 2015 or early 2016, following (expected) regulatory approvals; EU regulators are reportedly set to sign off. As previously announced, Broadcom shareholders can elect to receive either $54.50/share in cash or 0.4378 shares (current value of $52.47), with half the total payout in cash and half in stock.
- Avago fell 5.3% and Broadcom fell 3.3% in regular trading following a Credit Suisse report stating Apple has cut iPhone component orders by up to 10%.
Nov. 3, 2015, 6:19 AM
- EU antitrust regulators are set to unconditionally approve Avago Technologies' (NASDAQ:AVGO) proposed $37B takeover of Broadcom (NASDAQ:BRCM), according to Reuters.
- The acquisition is one in a series of global semiconductor deals this year, with consolidation driven by demand for cheaper chips and new products to power Internet-connected devices.
Oct. 6, 2015, 12:57 PM
- Skyworks (NASDAQ:SWKS) has tumbled towards $75 after announcing it's buying storage and telecom IC vendor PMC-Sierra (NASDAQ:PMCS) for $2B in cash on hand. (PR)
- Fellow RF chipmaker Avago (AVGO -6.7%), which (thanks to the LSI acquisition) competes against PMC-Sierra in the storage controller market, is also off, as is merger partner Broadcom (BRCM -3.2%), which competes against PMC to an extent in the telecom IC and network processor markets. RF peer Qorvo (QRVO -3.3%) is also getting hit. The Nasdaq is down 1.2%.
- Possibly hurting the group: Skyworks has used the PMC deal to announce it expects FQ4 (calendar Q3) revenue of $880M and EPS of $1.52. That's slightly above prior guidance of $875M and $1.51 and a consensus of $876M and $1.51, but expectations have been high following a long string of beat-and-raise quarters.
- The PMC acquisition expands Skyworks' reach to a slew of non-RF chip markets and enterprise/telecom infrastructure end-markets. It's expected to yield $75M in cost synergies within 12 months of closing (expected in 1H16), and subsequently boost Skyworks' annual EPS by $0.75. Assuming that target is hit, Skyworks is paying 14x forward EPS.
- Update (1:04PM ET): BofA/Merrill is defending Skyworks and Avago, arguing forward P/Es of less than 10 make shares very cheap.
- Update 2 (5:01PM ET): The group staged a comeback in afternoon trading. Skyworks closed down 1.4%, Avago 3.4%, Qorvo 1.1%, and Broadcom 1.6%. The Nasdaq closed down 0.7%.
Oct. 1, 2015, 10:58 AM
- Ahead of the Broadcom merger, Avago (AVGO -4%) is selling its optical module unit to contract manufacturing giant Foxconn for a yet-undisclosed sum. Over 900 Avago employees will join Foxconn.
- Avago will hold onto its optical component business, and serve as Foxconn's exclusive optical component supplier. The deal comes two years after Avago bought optical component maker CyOptics for $400M.
- Though its acquisitions (CyOptics, LSI, PLX, Emulex, and soon Broadcom) have received more attention, Avago hasn't been shy about selling assets along the way. Last year, the company sold its flash storage module/controller chip business to Seagate for $450M, and its Axxia network processor unit to Intel for $650M.
- Shares are selling off on a morning the Nasdaq is down 0.6%, and the Philadelphia Semi Index down 2.4%.
Aug. 6, 2015, 9:53 AM
- Qualcomm (QCOM -0.5%), via its Atheros Wi-Fi/connectivity chip unit, is buying DSL modem/infrastructure IC and home gateway processor vendor Ikanos (NASDAQ:IKAN) for $2.75/share, or roughly $47M based on Ikanos' Q2 diluted share count. The price represents a 57% premium to Ikanos' Wednesday close. The deal is expected to close by year's end.
- Ikanos' products complement Qualcomm/Atheros home Wi-Fi and wireline networking offerings. Qualcomm: "The combination of Qualcomm Atheros' broad home gateway IP portfolio, including Wi-Fi, powerline, small cell, and Ethernet switch technologies, and Ikanos' advanced wired modem technology, is designed to create a complete solution for a wide range of home gateway products to better serve the carrier segment." Broadcom (NASDAQ:BRCM) and Marvell (NASDAQ:MRVL) are among the other companies competing in this space.
- Qualcomm CEO Steve Mollenkopf suggested last week his company would make new chip acquisitions.
Jul. 17, 2015, 4:16 PM
- Not content with its recent ~$37B cash/stock deal to merge with Broadcom (BRCM +0.2%), acquisition-hungry Avago (AVGO -0.8%) is looking to bid for Broadcom rival Marvell (MRVL +0.5%), "a reputable source" tells Light Reading.
- Marvell moved slightly higher following the report. With a current $6.7B market cap - a deal could require a price above $8B - Marvell would be a relatively easy fish to swallow. However, its product line overlaps with Broadcom's in the Ethernet transceiver, Ethernet switching chip, and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth combo chip markets (among other areas), and the Ethernet overlap could result in antitrust scrutiny.
- There has been speculation Avago isn't done with its buyout binge. The company snapped up LSI, PLX Technology, and Emulex prior to the Broadcom deal, and has a good track record of reaping major cost synergies from acquisitions.
- Meanwhile, Marvell has been viewed as a potential acquisition target as the chip industry continues consolidating. Shares rose earlier this week on a report of buyout interest from state-owned Chinese firm PDSTI.


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It seems that Fortnite will be exclusive to the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 for 30 days and then will be available exclusively for select Samsung Galaxy S device for an additional 90 days.
It is safe to say that Fortnite is one of the most popular battle royale games available today. The game is however yet to release on Android. Information circulating the internet suggests that Fortnite will be a Samsung Galaxy Note 9 exclusive for 30 days. After the period of 30 days, the game will be a Samsung exclusive, being available on select S series devices for an additional 60-90 days. This means that the game will be exclusive to Samsung’s platform for a period of 4 months. At launch Fortnite will not be available via the Google Play Store. Users will have to enable app installs from unknown sources and install the game directly from Epic.
According to Android Authority, “Epic Games and Samsung will enforce this “Samsung only” exclusive period by requiring the launch of Fortnite through the Game Launcher on compatible Samsung devices. If that’s the case, it likely won’t be as easy as downloading the APK and sideloading the game onto any device; users without Samsung devices would have to emulate the Game Launcher (and, presumably, Samsung Game Tools) in order to play the game.”
This means that if you wanted to play the game, it won’t be as easy as downloading the APK and installing it on your smartphone. Timed exclusives aren’t a new thing in the world of gaming. Rise of the Tomb Raider was an Xbox One exclusive for nearly a year before it made its way to Sony’s PlayStation 4.
Coming back to Samsung, the Note 9 is expected to make its debut on August 9 at an event in New York. When it comes to the specifications, so far, we know that the phone is expected to feature a 6.3-inch QHD+ Super AMOLED display and it could to be powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 845 chipset in the US. In countries other than US, Samsung is expected to put an Exynos 9810 chipset in the smartphone. It is expected to feature a dual-rear camera setup with two 12MP sensors. At the front, the device could offer an 8MP camera. The fingerprint sensor is on the back which is said to be placed below the camera module. The S-Pen stylus is tipped to offer Bluetooth connectivity to control music and group photos. A recent leaked poster also unveiled the price of the phone. The Galaxy Note 9 was spotted in a hands-on video. You can check out the details of the video here.
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Jun 25, 2009, 5:57 AM
A working session on the finalisation of the draft fisheries product regulations 2007 was on Tuesday convened at the Laico Atlantic Hotel in Banjul.
The Honourable Minister of Fisheries, Water Resources and National Assembly Matters, Lamin Kaba Bajo told the participants that he was sure that they have taken note that "this was the final session in a process of engagement of all the actors who have a stake in a better regulated fisheries sector."
In this regard, Bajo said the genesis of the process leading to the development of these draft regulations review and finalisation, and the work of the development of fisheries, the government's regulatory arm in the sector have been guided by the Fisheries Act and Fisheries Regulation.
He recalled that a number of years ago, the needs were identified for detailed specific regulations, covering fish products, fish farming among others in the country.
According to him, with the assistance of the EU SFP Programme implemented in 2006, draft regulations were prepared for fisheries and aquaculture products.
Noting that much work has gone into the drafts since then, he said there have been sector wide consultations for the finalisation of the draft fisheries product regulations.
The Minister further stated that the fisheries product regulations have been prepared in accordance with international standards, and are considered to be in line with the EU regulations.
Bajo further stated that the implementation of these regulations when they are approved would go a long way towards helping the country efforts in putting high quality and safe fisheries products in the home and export markets.
Honourable Bajo also said that the Ministry of Fisheries, Water Resources and National Assembly Matters and the Department of Fisheries, the competent authority, have not been in this work alone, as there are other actors who have been working with them to assure a better regulated fisheries products framework.
According to him, principal among these stakeholders is the National Codex/Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary Committee (NCSPSC). Given its competence as a multi-sectorial body dealing with cross-cutting issues and responsible for developing standards and regulations for food safety, animal and plant health, he said, the NCSPSC is spearheading the work through the mobilisation and engagement of stakeholders, to finalise the draft regulation development under the auspices of the Department of Fisheries.
He conveyed their appreciation to the NCSPSC and West Africa Quality Programme for supporting the finalisation of the Fisheries Product Regulations.
He finally assured his Ministry’s full support to their noble efforts in finalising this draft fisheries product regulation.
The FAO Representative to the Gambia, Babagana Ahmadu said this regulation came at an opportune time when the country is faced with a lot of challenges in the export of fish and fisheries products to the international market, especially the EU.
Mr. Ahmadu also said that the FAO has been working with the National Codex/Sanitary and Phytosanitary Committee (NCSPSC) over the past years to improve the national food control system. Noting that this is quite important as an effective national food control, including animal and plant health system, he said, it is essential for the protection of the health and safety of consumers.
According to him, this requires effective inspection and certification systems to achieve protection of consumer health and safety, as well as ensuring fair practice in the trading of food and agricultural products.
He stated that The Gambia being dependent on the export of animal and plant products, including fisheries products to provide both foreign exchange revenues and employment in agriculture and natural resource sectors, requires a regulation that is in harmony with the international standards.
He concluded by saying that with the set of expertise present in this taskforce, the draft fisheries product regulations have been prepared in accordance with international standards and recommendations that can be applied at any level.